Royal Canadian Small Batch Whisky features a carefully chosen blend of aged Canadian whiskies that were acquired by Sazerac in the relatively recent purchase of Seagram’s in 2018. Despite being originally matured in Canada, it is blended and bottled in Frankfort, Kentucky under the watchful eye of Drew Mayville, A Canadian-born Master Blender at Buffalo Trace (also owned by Sazerac).
Mayville is also known for having a hand in the creation of US-blended-and-bottled Canadian whisky, Caribou Crossing.
For the price tag (especially if purchased in the US), Royal Canadian hits above it’s weight belt, and shines as either a delicate neat sipper or a key component to a perfect cocktail.
APPEARANCE: Clear. Maple syrup.
NOSE: Subtle, with caramel apple and Christmas baking spices initially. Raisin and more cinnamon follow.
PALATE: Smooth. Medium sweet. Delicate. Christmas cake, subtle oak and raisin pop up on the front palate, with a touch of lemon and sweet grass following closely behind.
FINISH: Short yet pleasant. Baking spices quickly disappear and leave you feeling like you’ve just had a sip of egg nog.
ABV: 40%
AGE: NAS
CASK(S): N/A
PRICE: $59.99 CDN/$19.99 USD
ENJOY: In a cocktail or neat.
RATING:
With prominent baking spices on the nose, palate and finish, this tastes like ‘Christmas in a glass’ at times.”
Conclusions
Royal Canadian is a delicate pour that has a friendly subtle richness. With prominent baking spices on the nose, palate and finish, this tastes like ‘Christmas in a glass’ at times.
For those looking for something big and bold, move on. At 40%, the addition of water or ice leaves this whisky quite watery and thin. Thus we recommend approaching it neat or in a cocktail like the classic Old Fashioned or even a Hot Toddy – given its essences of Christmas.
For the perfect cigar pairing, match a Royal Canadian with an Oliva Serie O Double Toro cigar. The nutty, chocolate notes with hint of citrus of the Serie O do justice to the baking spice-forward profile of the whisky. Both exhibit a slightly sweet profile too.
– Kurt Bradley
Kurt Bradley is the founder of The Gentleman’s Flavor, to which he is also a contributing editor, host and curator.
Kurt is a certified Whisky Ambassador accredited by The Scotch Whisky Association and has achieved Level 2 Award in Wine & Spirits Education Trust with distinction.
He lives in Toronto, Ontario.
